Reasonable WDW Packages

[daystar]

Hi
Was wondering what your budget is for a disney vacation packages???Our trip at Christmas cost us around 3500.00, that was staying at the All Stars Sport Resort for five night and our flight both ways from buffalo to orlando....Then we payed extra for a shuttle bus which was a waste....Then our hopper passes for two adults and two children....Maybe i'm just cheap but i thought wow that was alot of money then we weren't done yet because you also had to pay for meals and whatever souvineers that you purchase....I would love to go back but i think i would like to find a way to do things cheaper....I thought maybe driving because of gas prices i think i would be better off flying....I don't know any idea's....Do you think that prices was reasonable or not???I had a travel agent do it for me....
Thanks

 

[powellrj]

my first suggestion would be don't buy a package and book the trip yourself. Go to mousesavers.com and there are many great codes to save lots of money on rooms, rental cars and airline tickets. Get a few books like the Passporter and the Unofficial Guide and read up ( you can usually get these from the library). There are many great ideas on these boards so don't just limit yourself to the budget board (but this is a great one), try the different boards for answers to your questions. Most have several people who post all the time and really know their stuff!! Have fun!!

 

[tcfdick]

Did you try to price things separately? I've found that it is cheaper most of the time when I get a room only reservation and buy tickets separately. Also, if you have AAA or an annual pass( only one person needs an AP), you may be able to get discounts on the room. Buying park hopper and park hopper plus tickets before you go will also save you money. I have an annual pass and I used it to save on my room. I actually saved $758.00 on 17 nights at the
Pop Century Resort this summer (it will cost $1118.34 for my room cost).

Taking food for breakfast in the room and snacks will save you money on food.
Bringing a Brita Water filter bottle will save money on drinks if you
are a water person (I love drinking water instead of soda).

Are you going at Christmas again? If you check-in on the last day of the value period, you will get your room rate at that rate for all the days of your stay.

It is cheaper to drive, but you have to decide whether the loss of a day at the parks is worth it because it usually takes me a day of driving to WDW and a day driving home and I live in KY.

I also used a travel agent, but it didn't cost me anything more than if I had did the reservations myself. I used The Magic For Less Travel Agency, but there is one with the board here called Dreams Unlimited Travel Inc. who I have heard are good too. They might be able to give you some good advice.

 

[HaleyB]

That price seems really high if all it covered was your flight and room...
We are paying under $1600 to stay at a value in June for seven nights WITH Ultimate park hoppers for two adults and two children. It was a discounted rate, but it is the same as full rate if it was only two adults going...Even if you went during the higher rate part of December I think that would only be about $30 more a night...

It is a lot cheaper to drive if you have the time. I grew up in Buffalo, well just outside in Williamsville, and we drove to WDW a few times. It was two nights on the road each way. If you plan your route and priceline your rooms it should be less than four airfares. Unless you drive a huge SUV that gets 13 miles to the gallon... then gas might put it over the top... We live in Austin TX now and are a little closer than you are, but we figure we can save about $500 by driving, possibly more.

You have found the right place to plan your next trip. This place has saved me hundreds of dollars already. Well to be honest it isn't 'saving' me anything- because everytime I get a new discount I add a day to our trip! So we are now going for 9 nights onsite, and 3 nights off site at HIFS. All for the same price as my original 7 nights before discounts.

Oh, and don't feel bad about what you paid for your first trip... we paid rack rates for everything on our first trip. I had no idea you could get a discount at WDW, I had always thought it was hard to get a room and you HAD to pay full price. Live and learn. We paid over $5,000 for five nights at a Moderate resort with two adults and one child (plus an infant, who was free and did not have a plane ticket). I think we did some foolish and very expensive meal plan.